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 ERP Celebrates
Twelve Years
of Restoration! |
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Time flies! It's hard to believe, but The
Elizabeth River Project has been making a difference for 12 years. And you can tell!
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 he Elizabeth River Project began with a great
idea, no members, no staff, and a budget of less than $50,000.
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Currently, ERP has a membership of 2000,
partnership projects with four cities as well as the state and federal
governments, an operating budget of $600,000 and a new headquarters on the
riverfront (photo below.) |
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ERP's busy staff of nine spread the message:
Restoration is a job for everyone! Businesses, industries, schools, and
communities are advancing the mission through their work as River
Stars, taking pride in "doin' right by the river."
Their work produces visible results...and
even more that you don't see, including these accomplishments: |
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- Developed a Watershed Action Plan
representing all river interests for
addressing the river's biggest challenges, adopted by the state in 1996
- Pioneered voluntary wetland restoration
with partner projects at more than
a dozen sites (first site, Birdsong Wetland, 1997)
- Established one of the premiere
voluntary programs for industrial
pollution prevention in the US (River Stars Program, initiated 1997)
- Reached more than 20,000 school children
with innovative education
programs such as the "Look at Lizzy's Bottom" initiative to reach all
middle
schools in the area with the first instruction on a healthy river
bottom; a
new River Information Center on the Portsmouth waterfront, and a magical
Princess returned from 1619 when the river was named for her, to reach
young
and old alike through experiences such as River Camp
- Initiated cleanups for the toxic river
bottom at three sites: Scuffletown
Creek, Paradise Creek and Money Point!
- Completed a restoration plan for
Paradise Creek, as a model to restore the
bay one creek at a time, in 2002 with virtually every major landowner
currently participating in efforts from wetland restoration to oyster
reefs
and a public park.
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| "Our
River Stars, staff, volunteers, financial supporters and other partners
should feel a tremendous amount of pride for ERP's outstanding
accomplishments," says Executive Director Marjorie Mayfield. "Thank you
Hampton Roads!" |
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